


The Tiniest First Year

by lbswasp



Category: Hamilton - Miranda, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-10
Updated: 2016-05-10
Packaged: 2018-06-07 14:12:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6808453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lbswasp/pseuds/lbswasp
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Aaron Burr, Head of Slytherin House, meets a very small first year on the train and gives him some advice.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Tiniest First Year

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by a tumblr post by [kjack89](http://kjack89.tumblr.com/post/141227619237/ugh-i-justas-much-as-i-loved-the-video-of), wherein they sorted Hamilton into Slytherin (that's MA house!), then suggested how cute it would be for a young first year Alexander Hamilton to approach Slytherin Prefect Aaron Burr with "Pardon me, are you Aaron Burr, sir?". My mind mulled that over for a while, and at the end of a couple of boring sick days, produced this. Egged on and enabled by [QueenThayet](http://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenThayet/pseuds/QueenThayet), damn her. Beta read by QueenThayet, bless her.  
>   
> I generally steer away from RPF so this is based solely on the musical.  
>   
> None of these characters are mine, etc., etc.

 

“Pardon me – are you Professor Burr, sir?”

Professor Aaron Burr – youngest Charms Professor in a century, new head of Slytherin House, and therefore the “volunteer” staff member on the train – turned to see who had addressed him.

And looked down. Then further down. Then further down.

A hat had addressed him. He presumed there was a child under the hat, but all he could currently see…was a hat. That barely reached his waist.

“I am Professor Burr. To whom am I speaking?”

“Oh!” the hat started. “I’m Alexander Hamilton, I’m at your service, sir” said the small child, bowing forward.

And promptly squeaked, as his hat – far too big for what was possibly the tiniest first year Professor Burr had ever seen – fell forward.

Big, dark eyes looked up from a face that suggested the owner had outgrown the meals he had been offered.

“I’ve been looking for you, sir” Hamilton continued. “I asked all around the train! No one knew if you were going to be on the train, but then someone said you were indeed on the train tonight, so I looked all over for you and now I’ve found you!”

“I’m getting nervous, sir.” Burr gently teased. He was a stern teacher, he knew, but he was careful to never seem unkind to his students. Respect was healthy; fear was worrisome.

“Oh! Sir! I’m the one who should be nervous, sir, I was hoping you would sign my chocolate frog card sir,  yours was the first one I ever found and I was so excited to read about you sir and then you were in _Hogwarts, A History_ and I think Charms sounds like the best and most exciting subject one could ever do sir because Charms development is all about using words and I’m good at using words sir I won a scholarship here because of my essay sir and I read about you and I was asking all around the train to see if anyone knew you were on board sir because I wanted to meet you right away sir to see if you were as brilliant as _Hogwarts, A History_ said you were sir but when I asked some of the other students if they know that you are the youngest Charms Master in a century and you passed your NEWTS when you were only 15 sir they didn’t know who I was talking about it’s like they haven’t read _Hogwarts, A History_ sir and I have no idea why they wouldn’t have read that because sir ever since I found out about magic I’ve been reading every book I can get my hands on sir…”

Apparently, Hamilton’s ability to speak had not been affected by the same factors which had given him that hunger-panged face. Burr absently reached out and signed the proffered chocolate frog card.

“…thank you very much sir I will treasure it always sir it was so hard to find you sir I asked that really tall student over there in a green robe and badge where you were because I wanted to meet you because you’re my hero, sir and I said I wanted to do what you did and he said I was stupid I’m not stupid, sir I just don’t know how you managed to finish Hogwarts and graduate so fast sir and when I asked him if he knew he said he didn’t know it sounded like a stupid idea and that you probably cheated because if Hermione Granger didn’t skip grades there’s no way it’s possible to skip grades but it’s in _Hogwarts, A History_ and books never lie and so I may have punched him, it’s a blur, sir…”

At this, Professor Burr looked behind Hamilton to see James Madison, 6th year Prefect, who had in fact attempted to sit his NEWTS last year and had a nervous breakdown in the process. Madison, who according to staff gossip had spent the summer on his uncle’s dragon farm in Australia, looked relaxed and calm about the upcoming year, and unconcerned about the so-called “punch”. Apparently, the tiny first year hadn’t done any serious damage.

“… I should apologise, shouldn’t I? Matron always said that orphans like me need to have the best manners out of anyone so that people won’t suspect we were raised in a home not in a family and so I should find that student and apologise most profusely to him…”

Madison’s eyes widened, and he disappeared at speed into the next carriage.

Burr looked back to Hamilton, who still hadn’t paused for a breath and was worrying the brim of his hat with his hands. “…and I will I will find him sir and apologise sir but since we are talking sir I can’t help but ask sir, because what I wanted to know sir, is – how’d you do it, sir? How’d you graduate so fast?”

“You punched a prefect, Mr Hamilton.”

That shut him up. Hamilton’s eyes got impossibly bigger, and he opened his mouth to speak more.

Professor Burr raised a hand to cut him off. “I’m sure no serious damage was done, though I would recommend making a brief apology tomorrow – perhaps through a note.” Surely, thought the Professor, young Mr Hamilton would be less verbose with a quill in his hand, scholarship-essay aside. “It is far too early in the year, and you are far too early in your wizarding career, to generate enmity.” Hamilton nodded, stricken. “And as for how I graduated so fast, well, it was my parent’s dying wish before they passed.”

“You’re an orphan? Of course! I’m an orphan too!”

Burr crouched down, and adjusted the overlarge robe that was hanging off of Hamilton’s shoulders. “You will find, Mr Hamilton, that due to the War we are not alone in that.” He carefully pulled Hamilton’s hat out of his hands and placed it back on his head. “Since we are indeed talking, let me offer you some advice for your first day at Hogwarts.”

Hamilton nodded frantically, making his hat wobble back and forth before slipping down and resting over his eyes.

“Talk less, smile more.”

“Pardon?” The hat tilted up, and Burr could see confusion in Hamilton’s eyes.

“The Wizarding World is going through some…interesting changes at the moment. The War is over, Voldemort has been defeated, but things are still very uncertain. Only a few years ago, speaking indiscriminately got people killed. The Muggles have a saying – loose lips sink ships. Learn to keep your own counsel, and only speak when you need to. This will serve you well in this brave new world of ours.”

Hamilton nodded, hat wobbling, and chewed on his bottom lip in an attempt to keep quiet.

Burr straightened up, and walked down the carriage until he came across a compartment of first year boys, who had worked out that the enchanted seats of the Hogwarts Express made decent trampolines if you were determined enough. They froze upon seeing the tall, commanding Professor, who politely ignored both their fear and the fact they had been bouncing on the furniture. Burr opened the door and ushered Hamilton inside. “Look, here are some other first years. It is best to stick together on your way to Hogwarts, so we don’t lose any of you. Good day, Mr Hamilton. Remember my advice.”

As he turned to go, he saw one of the first years bounce off the seat and land beside Hamilton in a tangle of too-big robes. “I’m John Laurens, and this is the place to be…”

**Author's Note:**

> Come say hi at [Tumblr ](http://www.lbswasp.tumblr.com) :-)


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